Refrigerating apparatus



du v .IVI... 1 1 5 l 0 t 5 w 6 & 4 1 s I, t v 2 e e h S1 3 Feb. 7, 1939.

Filed Nov. 15, 1935 f; TORNEY.

' Feb. 7, 1939. UGHES 2,146,505

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. fin 4rd 1111 4565.

Feb. 7, 1939. E H H' 2,146,505

' I REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filzjad Nov 15, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

.MIYd/J #115566- v 4 ATORNEY.

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES z,14o,so5 REFRIGERATING mnna'ros Edward Hughes, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Borg- .Warner Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application November 15, 1935, Serial No. 49,871

. 8 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to a condensing unit for a refrigerating system of the compressor-condenser-expander type in which a refrigerant medium is circulated through a closed system wherein it is compressed and condensed for extracting heat energy from the refrigerant medium and then ex-. panded for absorbing or extracting heat from a medium which it is desired to cool.

This invention has, as a principal object, the construction of certain of the parts of a condensing unit and arrangement thereof in a novel" manner whereby a more eilicient condensing unit is provided, and whereby less space is required than in a condensing unit of conventional design. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and more eflicient condensing unit in which water is used for cooling the condenser and the compressor and wherein thewater is passed in series in a heat transfer relationship, first with the condenser, and then with the compressor.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a novel form of water-cooled condensing unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of water-cooled c'ompressor unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the condenser and the liquid receiver one within the other, and suspended from the base which forms a support for the various parts of the condensing unit.

or standard forming a support for the various parts or elements of the unit, a compressor and a motor for driving the same, and both of which are mounted on the upper side of the base, a helically coiled water-cooled condenser tube disposed on the outside of a cylindrical liquid receiving drum, and which drum and condenser tube are suspended from the under side of the base, and a guard which forms a housing around the pulleys on the motor and the compressor and the belt connecting such pulleys.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which there are three sheets; and in which:

Fig. l is a rear elevational view of-a condensing unit embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow A;

Fig. .3 is a vertical section through the compressor, some of the parts thereof being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the staggered line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of s the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the compressor along the staggered line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the con- 10 denser coil and liquid receiver assembly, certain of the parts being shown in cross section.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a condensin unit comprising a base or standard It, which forms a support for the various elements of the unit, an electrical motor l2, a compressor indi cated generally at It, a pulley l6 mounted on the end of the compressor shaft, a pulley i8 mounted upon the end of the motor shaft, belts pro- 20 viding a driving connection between the pulleys l6 and I8 whereby the motor may drive the compressor, a belt and pulley guard 22, a liquid receiving drum or liquid receiver 24,and a watercooled condenser coil 26, coiled around the liquid receiver 24, and both of which are disposed within the space below the upper surface of the base I 0 and suspended from the under side thereof.

The condensing unit, as illustrated, is adapted to be connected to any suitable type of expander or cooling coil such as a finned-tube cooling coil wherein liquid refrigerant is evaporated for the purpose of absorbing heat from the air or other medium surrounding such cooling coil. The condensing unit is provided with a suction connection 28 leading to the suction side of the compressor and which connection is adapted to be connected to the low side of the cooling coil, and with a liquid connection 30 which is adapted to be connected with the high side of a cooling coil through some suitable form of regulating or expansion valve, and which connection 30 is in connection with the liquid receiver 24, which serves as a storage chamber for the liquid refrigerant after it passes out of the condenser 26. The com- ,45--- I pressor operates to compress the refrigerant vapor withdrawn from the cooling coils and the vaporous refrigerant is discharged from the compressor under pressure through a conduit 32 into the condenser wherein the refrigerant is con-' densed into a liquid as a result of the removal of the heat therefrom by the cooling water, which is passed in heat exchange relation to the condenser. g I The condenser 26, comprises a helically coiled 66 amount of'heat exchange surface between the a refrigerant in the coil 34, and the water which passes through the coil 36. Each end of the tube 34 is provided with a fitting 38 having an opening 4 through which the refrigerant may pass and another opening through which the water cooling coil 35 passes.

In'Fig. 6 a fitting 38, at one end of the coil 38, is shown in the section, and the opening Ml is shown leading to the interior of the liquid receiving drum 2d. The vaporous refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the conduit 32 and a fitting 38 into space between the inside of the coil M and the outside of the coil 36, at the left hand end of the condenser (looking at Fig. 1), and the condensed refrigerant and the refrigerant vapor passes out of the condenser at the right hand end (looking at Fig. l) and through the opening 40 in fitting 38 into the liquid receiving drum 24.

A conduit 42 at one end thereof, is connected to a fitting 54, to which there is connected on the inside of the drum 24, a tube 66 having its end disposed adjacent to the bottom of the liquid receiver 24. The other end of the conduit 42 is connected to the liquid line connection 30 on the upper side of the base It. The liquid receiver 24 is provided with a fusible plug d8, which is designed to release the charge of the refrigerant in the liquid receiver to the atmosphere when abnormal temperature conditions arise. To each end of the liquid receiver, there is suitably secured a bracket 50, by means of which the liquid receiver may be secured to the under side of the base It, and the' condenser and water coil are supported by the liquid receiving drum 24 inasmuch'as they are disposed about the exterior thereof.

The compressor l4, certain details of which are illustrated on Fig. 3, is of the rotary type and may be like the rotary compressor described in the application of John C. Buchanan, Ser. No. 692,727, filed October 9, 1933, for Refrigerating system. The compressor M, in general, comprises a bearing block 52 providing a base therefor, a dome 54 secured to'the bearing block 52 and providing therein a refrigerant and lubricant reservoir 55, into which the compressor discharges, a shaft 58 to which the pulley i6 is secured and projecting from thebearing block 52 through an opening therein, and between which shaft and bearing block, a running seal 60 is provided. The shaft 58 extends through the center of a cylinder block 62, in which the rotary pumping mechanism is disposed. The bearing block 52 is. provided with a refrigerant passage afiording communication between the refrigerant and lubricant reservoir 56 and the space surrounding the seal 60, a passage 66 communieating with the space surrounding the seal 60. and with a chamber 68 in which an impeller 10 secured to the shaft 58 is disposed for effecting a circulation of lubricant through the passages 64 and 68 and over the seal 60, through the openings from the impeller chamber 68, and through the interior of the compressor along the shaft 58,

a series of ports 12 being provided for permitting the escape of lubricant from the interior of the compressor to the refrigerant-lubricant reservoir 56.

The refrigerant vapor, after being compressed by the'pumping mechanism within the block 62, discharges through a valve chamber 14 and a conduit 16 which opens into the refrigerant and lubricant reservoir 56 at the upper end thereof. The short section of tube 18, open at the upper end thereof to the upper end of the lubricant and refrigerant reservoir, is in communication with a service valve and fitting 80 to which the conduit 32 is connected and through which tube 38 and conduit 32, the refrigerant is passed to the condenser 2'5.

When the condensing unit is assembled, the compressor is charged with a suitable amount of refrigerant and with a quantity of lubricant sufficient to provide a body of lubricating oil within the chamber 56 to a level approximately above the shaft 58. The lubricant in the reservoir 56 is subjected to the discharge pressure of the pumping mechanism which is at leastpartially submerged within the body of lubricant in the reservoir 56 and which is adapted to be lubricated thereby. The impeller 19 disposed in the recess 58, comprises an oil pump which is-effective for circulating oil through the passage ways aforementioned and over the seal 60, which in addition to keeping the various parts of thecompressor lubricated. aids in dissipating some of the heat generated by the operation of the compressor.

Within the dome 54 and partially immersed within the lubricant in reservoir 56, there is disposed a coil of tubing 84, which is secured to the dome 54 by a plurality of brackets 86 secured to the inner wall thereof. The coil 84 is adapted for circulating water or other cooling medium therethrough for the purpose of cooling the compressor l4, certain portions of the coils 84 being disposed in heat exchange relationship with the lubricant in the reservoir 56 and with the vaporous refrigerant under pressure therein. The coil of tubing 84 at each end thereof, is connected to a fitting 90 disposed in the wall of the dome 54, and one of the fittings 90 is adapted to be connected to the end of the coil 36 after it leaves the condenser 26. The other fitting 90 is adapted to have secured to it an end of a conduit by which the water may be carried away from the compressor. Coil 36, at the end 92 thereof, ahead of the liquid receiver 24, is adapted to be connected to a source of water supply, and the water supply to the coil 36 is adapted to be controlled by a water valve (not shown), which is designed to shut off the supply of water when the unit is idle. The condensing unit is adapted to operate intermittently and its period of operation is adapted to be controlled by a temperature regulating means which is responsive to variations in temperature of the compartment, which it is desired to cool, and which regulating means opens and closes the circuit controlling the supply of electric energy to the motor l2.

It will be observed that the water supplied to the condensing unit passes, first, in heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant vapor in the condenser for absorbing heat therefrom, and thence passes into the coil of tubing 84 in the compressor for absorbing heat from the lubricant and refrigerant therein, and that the cooling water and the refrigerant pass in opposite directions through spiral or helical paths and in heat exchange relationship through the condenser 26.

It will further be observed that the various elements of the condensing unit are disposed in a compact manner so as to require a minimum amount of space.

It will also be observed that the particular design of a condenser and the arrangement thereof, with respect to the liquid receiver enables these parts to be disposed beneath'the base.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purposes of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the pur- View of the attached claims.

I claim: g

1. In a refrigerating apparatus, a compressor including a refrigerant and lubricant reservoir in which the pumping mechanism is disposed, a. condenser adapted for receiving vaporous refrig-- erant from the compressor, and a cooling water conduit of substantially uniform cross section threaded through the coils of said condenser and wound through the lubricant and refrigerant reservoir in a plurality of coils.

2. In a refrigerating system; a condensing-unit including a compressor and a condenser, a heat exchange device thermally associated with said compressor, a heat exchange device thermally associated with said condenser, and a means for passing a cooling medium in series through said heat exchange devices, said condenser being exposed to contact both said medium and the atmosphere throughout its extent.

3. In a refrigerating system. a condensing unit including a compressor, said compressor comprising a bearing block having a shaft journalled therein, refrigerant pumping means operatively associated with said shaft, a dome secured to said bearing block and providing a lubricant reservoir about and partially submerging said pumping means and into which said Dumping means discharges, a heatexchange device disposed in saidv comprising a base, a liquid receiving drum secured to the under side of said base, and a double tube condenser coiled about said'drum and supported thereby, one of said tubes being adapted to have a refrigerant circulated therethrough and discharging into said drum, and the other of said tubes being disposed in heat exchange relationship with said tubes through which the refrigerant is circulated and adapted to have a cooling medium circulated therethrough.

7. In a refrigerating apparatus comprising a base, a rotary compressor secured to the upper side thereof, a motor for driving said compressor and secured to the upper side of said base, a

liquid receiving drum suspended from said base,

and a double tube condenser coiled about said drum and supported thereby, said condenser at one end thereof being in communication with the discharge of said compressor, and at the other end thereof being incommunication with said drum, and means for circulating a cooling fluid through one of the tubes of said condenser.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus, a condensing unit including a chamber of ring-shaped crosssection in which the refrigerant changes state, said chamber surrounding and lying in contact with a liquid-refrigerant receiving cylindenand a water cooling coil disposed within said ring and in heat exchange relationship therewith, a portion of the outer wall of said chamber being adapted to be exposed to the atmosphere.

EDWARD HUGHES. 

